Pencil holding device for attachment to eye-glass frames



April 29, 1958 A. H. MEAD 2,8 2,

PENCIL HOLDING DEVICE FOR ATTACHMENT TO EYE-GLASS FRAMES Filed Jan. 19, 1954 INVENTOR.

Unite.

2,832,,ll i l- PENCIL HGJLDING DEVICE lFlDtR ATTACHMENT T EYE-GLAES FRAMES Atwell ii. Mead, Saratoga Springs, No L Application January 19, 1954, Serial No, 4949316 4- Claims. (til. 24-l0) This invention relates to article holding devices, having particular reference to an improved and novel type of pencil holding clip adapted removably to be clipmounted in suspended position on the temple or side bar of an eye-glass frame for the purpose of readily receiving and holding a pencil when not in use, or readily to release the pencil when it is desired to use the same, and the provision of such a clip is the principal object of the invention.

Many people who are constantly using pencils have always found it naturally convenient to place such pencils behind the ear where the pencil is always readily available for use. This, however, is interfered with when people use eye-glasses, particularly where temple or side bars are used on the frame, which is true in the majority of cases today where these are of the horn-rimmed, tortoiseshell or plastic construction, because the side bar occupies the space above the ear normally used for the pencil. Special ear devices have been suggested as well as devices to be connected to the frames, whereby the pencil is clamped against the side of the head of the user and in contact therewith which has often proved undesirable. Other types of devices for attachment to side frames, while holding the pencil away from the face, bring them in an undesirable position or not readily insertable therein or removable therefrom.

It wouldbe a distinct advantage to provide a device that is not permanently secured to the frame but is readily removable therefrom, which would hold a pencil in an out of the way, safe position, and out of contact with the head or face, out of the line of vision, and also readily and easily available for use. This is accomplished by means of the present invention.

Generally, therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide such a pencil holding clip which will overcome the foregoing difficulties and disadvantages, which is economical of manufacture and which is otherwise well suited to the purposes set forth.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide such a pencil holding clip for use on the temple or side bar section of an eyeglass frame, having an upper curved resilient clip portion for readily but firmly being engaged and disengaged with the side bar portion removably to mount the clip in suspended position on the frame, with a lower curved resilient clip portion adapted frictionally to engage and temporarily to hold a pencil for ready removal therefrom.

Other specific objects are to provide such a pencil holding clip in which the lower curved portion along its horizontal axis is angularly disposed to the longitudinal axis of the upper curved portion, or in which the forward end of the clip is of greater length than the rearward end thereof, the same also preferably being a shaped in configuration, and in which the lower curved portion of the clip has an opening therein that will expose a substantial portion of the pencil when held there by in order readily to push the same from the clip by pressure exerted by the thumb.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a clip embodied by the invention illustrated as being mounted in position on an eye-glass frame of a user as shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, somewhat enlarged, of the same type of clip as that shown in Pig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of a clip such as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 when looking in the direction of the front portion only, as at F, 14, 17 and 15 of Pig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a solid type of clip embodying the same principle of invention.

it will be understood, of course, that it is within the contemplation of the invention to use any suitable resilient material, such as, for example, a single piece of metal, or wire, that can be bent to the desired suitable configuration; or the device can be made. of a suitable plastic material of any desirable attractive color that can be made to conform to the same configuration.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown a pencil holding clip indicated generally at ltl embodied by the invention for use on the temple or side bar section ill of an eye-glass frame 12 as shown in position on the face of a user 13 Such a clip comprises an upper curved resilient clip portion 14, whereby the same readily but firmly can be made to engage or disengeage with a side bar section of the eye-glass frame by a. clip-on or snap-on action.

A lower curved resilient clip portion 15 is adapted frictionally to engage a pencil M and temporarily to hold the same when not in use, and is adapted for ready removal therefrom when it is desired to put such pencil to use.

The upper and lower curved clip portions 14, 14' and lid, 15' respectively are connected together by an intermediate portion 17. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, wherein the same preferably is constructed from a single rod of material, which may be wire, or the like, there is a connecting link of material as indicated at 13. This type is really an outline or open kind of clip as distinguished from the solid type shown in Pig. 4.

it will be observed that the clip, when viewed from the front, F, is generally S-shaped in configuration, although it will be noted that it is generally tapered from front to rear. Such a construction makes the front end of the clip of greater length than the rearward end thereof, and the longitudinal axis of the lower curved portions l5, 15 is angularly disposed to the longitudinal axis of the upper curved portions 14, 14. When the clip is on the side bar, in the temple region, it will be observed that a pencil frictionally engaged therein will also assume an angular position with the side frame ll. so that the end of the pencil will drop toward the lower portion of the lens-holding section of the frame and out of the line of vision of the wearer. At the same time the pencil is more readily available and, together with the intermediate and lower portion of the clip, is out of contact with head or face of the user.

In order to make the pencil more easily removable from its frictional engagement with the clip, the lower clip portion has an opening therein as indicated generally at 19 as in the solid type of device shown in Fig. 4. It is thus but necessary for the user to rest the fingers across the projecting forward end portion of the pencil so held in position when desiring to use the same and press with the thumb against the pencil in an area intermediate the ends of the clip, whereby the pencil can readily be removed without danger of disengaging the clip from its mounted position.

In the outline or open type of clip shown in Figs. 1 through 3, the upper and lower curved portions 14-, 14' and 15, 15' respectively, as well as the intermediate portions 17, 17 being held in spaced-apart relation by the bar 18 connecting the terminal ends of the lower curved portions, a sufiicient space is consequently provided to thumb-pressure the pencil out of position as above described.

Attention is called to the fact that it is within the contemplation of the invention that, instead of an upper curved portion that frictionally engages the frame, an equivalent means can be employed, such as, for example, a manually operable spring clip which, by squeezing, will open the curved portion so that the same readily and easily can be applied to and removed from the frame.

It will thus be seen that the objects hereinbefore set forth may readily and efficiently be attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pencil holding clip device of the character described for use on a temple bar of an eye-glass frame comprising an upper section consisting of a resilient clip portion adapted readily but firmly to be engaged and disengaged with said bar removably to mount said clip in suspended position therefrom; a lower section consisting of a resilient clip portion oppositely curved from said first clip portion for frictionally engaging and temporarily holding a pencil for ready removal therefrom; and front and rear sections connecting said upper and lower sections, said front section being of greater length than said rear section and said lower clip portion being angularly disposed to said upper clip portion in a manner such that said pencil will be held in said lower clip portion at a downwardly directed angle with respect to said bar and frame and more readily available for insertion and removal therefrom and out of the lateral line of vision of the lens and lens holding portion of said frame.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that the same consists of a single strand of resilient material.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that the same consists of a single sheet of resilient material.

4-. The combination with a pair of eye-glasses having a temple bar of a pencil holding clip device for use on said bar comprising an upper section consisting of a resilient clip portion adapted readily but firmly to be engaged and disengaged with said bar remo-vably to mount said clip in suspended position therefrom; a lower section consisting of a resilient clip portion oppositely curved from said first clip portion for frictionally engaging and temporarily holding a pencil for ready removal therefrom; and front and rear sections connecting said upper and lower sections, said front section being of greater length than said rear section and said lower clip portion being angularly disposed to said upper clip portion in a. manner such that said pencil will be held in said lower clip portion at a downwardly directed angle with respect to said bar and frame and more readily available for insertion and removal therefrom and out of the lateral line of vision of the lens and lens holding portion of said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 194,707 Merrill Aug. 28, 1877 418,420 North Dec. 31, 1889 486,135 Stockdale Nov. 15, 1892 689,843 Atkins Dec. 31, 1901 1,779,015 Schmitt Oct. 21, 1930 1,802,016 Hofiman Apr. 21, 1931 

